Kenneth Clarke exasperated senior colleagues last night by casting doubt over whether married couples would get a promised tax break before the next general election.

The veteran former Chancellor appeared to forget that his party had committed to reintroduce a recognition of marriage in the tax system by 2015.

A senior Government source said: ‘He wasn’t aware of the Treasury position and corrected himself afterwards.’

Mr Clarke, who lost the justice portfolio in last month’s Cabinet reshuffle and became Minister without Portfolio, said he would not ‘count on’ the Conservatives fulfilling a pledge to allow spouses to share their tax allowance before 2015.

In an interview, Mr Clarke said a ‘long hard road’ lay ahead for Britain and years’ more austerity might be needed.

Asked whether this meant that tax cuts – such as the reintroduction of the married tax allowance – would be impossible to deliver, he replied: ‘We never committed ourselves to married couples’ tax by the end of the Parliament.’

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When reminded that George Osborne, the
Chancellor, had made the commitment in the Conservative manifesto, Mr
Clarke laughed and said: ‘I’m married, I’m not counting on it.

Committed: George Osborne is said to be on track with the policy, despite Clarke's comments

'I don’t
remember anyone promising that kind of thing.’

The former Chancellor ended the old married couples’ tax allowance and has long been sceptical about the policy.

Last night, he was forced to row back. ‘It was a comment not a statement of policy.

'Any tax changes are a matter for the Chancellor,’ Mr Clarke said.

Treasury sources insisted that Mr Osborne remained fully committed to action on the issue before the next election.

In the interview with the Daily Telegraph, Mr Clarke also risked angering colleagues by telling the Prime Minister and other members of the Cabinet to stop speculating about Britain leaving the European Union.

Even debating the possibility of leaving the EU was ‘very reckless’, the Europhile minister insisted.